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Post subject: Guitar Strings
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:37 am
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I just bought my first electric guitar.
I bought a used Squire Affinity Series Srat in great condition, as I am a new beginner.
I just broke my first string. (2nd THIN high string)
1. What kind of string would you recommend I replace it with?
2. Is this easy to replace, or do I need to bring it to a shop?
After searching around I hear, that steel strings will wear out your frets..?
3. Should I use another kind of guitar string?
I am playing some rock, and easier stuff, rythem and such.
Also, my guitar did not come with a Tremelo Arm.
4. Where could I get one?
Need a place for parts.
Also, my first string (E) keeps sliding off of my fret, as it comes off the top groove.
5. Is it possible I am hitting it wrong, or too hard?
Thanks if you can help with these questions.
I really want to learn, as I am a newbie.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 8:01 am
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I just bought my first electric guitar. Congrats!
I bought a used Squire Affinity Series Srat in great condition, as I am a new beginner.
I just broke my first string. (2nd THIN high string) B string
1. What kind of string would you recommend I replace it with? .011 plain
2. Is this easy to replace, or do I need to bring it to a shop? easy - check youtube
After searching around I hear, that steel strings will wear out your frets..? myth well maybe after 35 years or so.
3. Should I use another kind of guitar string? no
I am playing some rock, and easier stuff, rythem and such.
Also, my guitar did not come with a Tremelo Arm.
4. Where could I get one? almost any music store
Need a place for parts. GC has them - or Guitar Parts Resource.
Also, my first string (E) keeps sliding off of my fret, as it comes off the top groove. practice more
5. Is it possible I am hitting it wrong, or too hard? Try upstrokes
Thanks if you can help with these questions.
I really want to learn, as I am a newbie.

Hope this helps. Good luck...also, you might need a setup on that guitar if it continues to be a problem.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 8:59 am
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+1 on everything Mike suggested... and welcome to the Forum!
When you go to the music store, bring your guitar with you. I had a friend of mine bring his guitar (MIJ Strat) over for me to set up for him.
He was having the same problem with his 1st string. Upon examination, I discovered that his guitar has suffered a bump or a fall that caused the neck to get knocked out of alignment... bent toward the first string side. I could see there was more fretboard showing on the low string side than on the high string side.
I loosened the bolts enough to re-align the neck and everything worked out nicely thereafter on the rest of the setup.

Just thinking, where your guitar is used, it may have a similar issue.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:06 am
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I'd suggest you change all strings, since you bought the guitar used - a set of .009's is what you need.
Get to know how to setup a guitar, too; start by reading this Strat Setup Guide

That high-E slipping off the fretboard probably happens because of how you press the string - but you might also want to check that the guitar neck is properly aligned: check that the thickest (low-E) and thinnest (high-E) string are at the same distance from the fretboard's edges where the neck joins the body (the neck heel).


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 5:44 pm
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Thank you for all your info- and great replies.
Didn't know there was so much to learn.
I figure I could replace the stings myself.
It'll be like sewing with thread, but only it's bigger.
I did buy my guitar by internet from Guitar Center.
Would the Fender Super Bullet strings be better
than the regular Squire ones, if they fit?
Pure nickel, nickel plated..? STD tension?
I switched to a thin guitar pick for now.
I don't seem to strum the strings too hard with it.
And I am watching my playing.
I checked GPR for the tremelo arm.
I will also check the alignment as you mention.
I read the page on setting up a Stratocaster.
That about explains it all...
Thanks for the YouTube link.

Thank you all for your very informative quick replies.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:53 am
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Dolores wrote:
Would the Fender Super Bullet strings be better
than the regular Squire ones, if they fit?
Pure nickel, nickel plated..? STD tension?


Any brand of strings will fit a Squier Affinity.
Everybody has a different opinion on which strings are the best...
I like those Fender Super Bullets (choose the .009-.042 set) and Ernie Ball Super Slinkys (.009-.042).
Don't worry about pure/plated/STD-tension or such at the moment - those differences will come significant plenty playing hours later.
I'd say more important is to change strings regularly, maybe every three months - it's impossible to say an exact timeline, but check how dirty/worn/sounding flat the strings become.


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2013 4:18 am
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Gotcha!

Thx agn!


D.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:11 pm
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Ok, I replaced the strings with Fender Super Bullets.
I broke 3 more strings in the same day.
Everything looks straight and inline to me.
So, how do you check and adjust the neck, as you mentioned.?
Should of bought a new guitar instead of an old used one.
After paying just over $100- for it used, it aint worth sending it out for repairs for $30- for shipping to and from.
It gets annoying to say the least....

thx

Squire Infinnity Series Strat- Indonesia made.
I heard the Squire Classic Vibe Custom 60's Telecaster model guitar is the best bang for the buck, but it cost alot more than I can afford. http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocas ... aster-60s/

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:30 pm
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Dolores wrote:
Ok, I replaced the strings with Fender Super Bullets.
I broke 3 more strings in the same day.
Everything looks straight and inline to me.
So, how do you check and adjust the neck, as you mentioned.?
Should of bought a new guitar instead of an old used one.
After paying just over $100- for it used, it aint worth sending it out for repairs for $30- for shipping to and from.
It gets annoying to say the least....

thx

Squire Infinnity Series Strat- Indonesia made.
I heard the Squire Classic Vibe Custom 60's Telecaster model guitar is the best bang for the buck, but it cost alot more than I can afford. http://www.fender.com/guitars/stratocas ... aster-60s/


Rock-n-roll! You must be whoopin that thang. You need to take it to a local shop to have it checked. Sometimes the saddles (at the bridge end) cut strings. But three? Show them how you do it. Good luck and have fun. :D


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:34 pm
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Okies...I haven't read all the other posts, so please forgive me if I'm being terribly redundant with anything.

First, the Affinity series are great little instruments...for the price, they really are a wonderful place to get started on electrics.

Second, as I think I saw someone else mention, everyone has their own preference on strings. Fender "recommends" Bullets for Strats...and I have used them from time to time, but recently I've started moving back to GHS Boomers myself. After 30+ years of playing, I've probably used just about every brand out there at one time or another...I always end up coming back to Boomers. That said, most folks new to guitar really just can't tell the difference between one brand and another. String gauge? Yes. Brand? No. Seriously...don't sweat the brand right now...it's just not that big a deal. That said, if you're having strings breaking right out of the pack, I see one of three possible things happening...

1.) You over-tightened the strings when you were tuning. Since I obviously don't know you personally, please don't take this as a slam, but I've seen more strings break with "newbies" simply because they don't know how to tune. On that note, if you don't already have one, a decent little guitar tuner is a very wise investment. While any brand will do, I would also add that I really -LOVE- my new little Snark...best $25 I've spend on guitar gear in a LONG time. That Snark just rocks!

2.) Yes, it -could- be a setup issue, particularly since you said you bought it used. That said, it would have to be a -REALLY- bad setup or something really messed up with the bridge or nut or string T's (such as a really sharp edge). While I normally encourage ANYONE who plays guitar to learn how to do their own setups...and it's really not that hard at all...if it's really that messed up on this guitar, I'd really suggest taking her into a shop so that a tech can give it a good once over. Believe me...I more than understand the whole money thing very very well, BUT the facts of life regarding a guitar are this - guitars need to be restrung and setup on a regular basis. Right now with the 3 guitars that I'm gigging with (not to mention practicing on for up to 2 hours a day), I'm changing those strings...and checking the setup...about twice a month on all of them. I actually own somewhere around 30 guitars total, so yea...I go thru A LOT of strings! LOL!!! Even with string lotion (I think I'm using Dunlap "String Saver" at the moment), yea...I tend to sweat my butt off when I'm playing on stage and no...I'm probably not as fastidious as I could be, either with my hands or wiping down the strings/neck after I play. But guitars strings really do need to be changed regularly if you're playing that guitar regularly...it simply goes with the job.

3.) It's possible you got a bad pack of strings or even a couple of bad packs...it happens. A few years back I had picked up a set of...yes...Fender Bullets and the high E string wasn't even half way up before it snapped. Took them back to the shop where I got them and the guy gave me another pack...snap again. Went to a different shop and just bought another new pack of strings...no problem at all. My guess is the first guy either got a bad batch in or they were just older packs that had been sitting on a shelf or in a warehouse for too long.

I will say that the string breakage probably isn't due to your playing. Even with .009's (I usually use .010's myself), I can lean pretty hard into string bends and such. Yea, when the strings get older I'll break them left and right with bends, but new strings shouldn't break like that...unless you got hands like Stevie Ray Vaughn or something (he used .013's), LOL!!!

So my suggestion would be to first inspect the guitar yourself...look and feel for any sharp edges around the bridge saddles, the nut, the string T and even the tuners (if you're not sure what those parts are, it's easy enough to look up on the internet)...ANY place where the string makes contact with a part. If you don't find anything like that, then try a different pack of strings from a different vendor...again brand isn't really THAT important right now...you'll develop your own preferences as you go :-) Of all things, strings are the cheapest to replace so it's worth trying another pack. Then if that still fails, yea...take it in. I know $30 sounds like a lot when you're hard up for cash, but again...it simply goes with the turf. It's much like owning a car...you don't just pay for the car once then drive it, ya gotta change the oil and the spark plugs on a regular basis as well. Once she's set up properly, it will be easier for you to figure out how to do it yourself later.

...and if you haven't already, check out the Stratocaster Setup Guide here on the Fender website! Even after 30+ years of setting up my own guitars, I still refer to it every now and then when I have a brain fart! LOL! Just got this Fender Squier Series for example that I put some vintage style tuners on...for the life of me I couldn't remember how to wind the strings on the tuning posts (strings go on vintage tuners a bit differently than regular tuners)! And intonation...I dunno...kind of like longitude and latitude...I can never remember which direction the saddles are supposed to go, LOL!!!

Okies...hope this helps!
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:07 am
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thx for the replies.
I really appreciate it very much.
I am not an expert but I would possibly think too, that the string grooves on the bridge are rough. I am going to polish them a bit.
I also ordered some BIG BENDS GROOVE LUBER NUT SAUCE from guitar parts resources.
Suppose to help stop string breakage.
I beleive the guitar is 8 years old.

If I played 2 hours everyday, what would be the normal life expectancy of the strings I have been using..?
What brand of strings are Stevie Ray Vaugn using..? lol

thx agn,

D.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:53 am
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Dolores wrote:
I also ordered some BIG BENDS GROOVE LUBER NUT SAUCE from guitar parts resources.
Suppose to help stop string breakage.


Ok...just a personal opinion on that but like "string saver saddles", I'm not really a fan of such products. Again if you're breaking that many strings, the problem usually lies elsewhere... The one exception is that I am a big fan of Roller T's...over time those stock little metal T's can tend to develop those sharp edges I was talking about and I do find that roller T's tend to aid in any trem work I may do...helps to keep things in tune and such if I have to lay into the whammy bar. Otherwise, a good sting lube will probably do ya just as well as a product advertised for something specific like this. Most of those products are really aimed at tuning stability issues more than anything and just a tich of graphite in the nut slots tends to work just as well.



Quote:
I beleive the guitar is 8 years old.


If you're interested in the age of the instrument (not that it really has much bearing on this discussion), you can usually contact Fender directly. Granted they can be a bit sketchy with imports at times, but they should be able to give you some general indication based on the serial number of the instrument.

BTW...while this is certainly a subjective opinion on my part, 8 years old isn't really "old" for a guitar at all...just breakin' her in really. My best sounding guitars are my '96 MIM Standard, the '94 MIM Fender Squier Series I recently picked up and my mid 80's MIJ Squier E series ('85 body with an '87 neck). Personally I don't think that kiln dried wood really even starts to sweeten up till it's at least a good 10 to 12 years old :-)

Quote:
If I played 2 hours everyday, what would be the normal life expectancy of the strings I have been using..?


Well...kinda depends on how much you sweat while playing, LOL!!! Seriously, there's no real definitive answer to this one as there's a few things that affect the longevity of your strings. Here in Northern Ohio for example, the humidity can get ungodly during the summer. I've done a couple of outdoor shows over the years where yea...had to change the strings the very next day because they just rusted -that- quick do to the humidity. A lot of folks who "jam in the basement" run into the same thing as many people's basements are rather damp. Hand cleanliness can certainly be a factor as well...dirty hands = dirty guitar strings....and no, I honestly don't remember EVER washing my hands before sitting down to play. One of the reasons I use a string lube/cleaner myself.

Obviously a heavier string gauge will typically last a bit longer than a lighter gauge...again I do play .010's myself and while that is primarily because of the sound I get with a bit heavier strings, they do last a bit longer too. Many years ago I used to play .008's...broke thru those in nothing flat. .009's weren't too bad, but yea...I'd break them after a while. .010's seem to be a nice balance for me between sound, longevity and playability. I do typically use .011's on my acoustics but my fingers just don't like trying to do bends on something that heavy. Also as we've already established, the condition of the guitar itself is also going to play a huge factor in all of this too.

Also...and I gotta say this...there is even a personal preference involved in how fresh vs. worn strings sound. Personally I don't really care for the sound of fresh, brand new strings...just too bright sounding (particularly on a Strat). I like them to break in for at least a few days on a guitar before I take it up on stage. On the other hand I have an old friend who will string a guitar then leave it in a closet for MONTHS because he does prefer the sound of "dead strings". I even seem to remember reading something about Eddie Van Halen actually boiling his strings in a pot of water before putting them on a guitar (I tried it once...didn't really hear much of a difference). In other words, if you find you prefer the sound of fresh strings, you're gonna have to change them more often.

So that said, a good round ball park figure based on how much you're playing...in my always and ever so humble opinion...would be to plan on changing them once or twice a month. Depending on your playing style, your tastes and other environmental factors such as those above, may be more, may be less, but every couple/few weeks should be a good place to start.

Quote:
What brand of strings are Stevie Ray Vaugn using..? lol


Honestly...can't remember at the moment. I'm tempted to say Ernie Ball Slinkeys, but I think that's Clapton I'm thinking of there. I just remember the gauge because...holy cow...like playing piano wire or something! LOL!!! That man had hands and fingers like freakin' jack hammers! That said, I know there's a few SRV aficionados around here who should be able to answer that one for ya (and I'm sure it's well documented elsewhere on the internet...just too lazy to look myself at the moment).

Quote:
thx agn,

D.


You're quite welcome...again I hope it helps!
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:05 pm
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lomitus,

I enjoyed reading your reply.
I had also bought some Fender Slick to wipe on the strings after playing.
While i had all the strings off the first time, my rag was black from wiping the fret board.
i had never seen a guitar string break while watching a band concert or video of bands playing.
I did however see drumsticks break on drummers.
I see they keep a few spares in front of them sometimes.
I have a PDF file of all Squires and serial numbers.

Glad that strings don't cost a whole lot......
I did order more than one set.

Thx guys for your expert knowledge.

playing a 3 string guitar is easier anyways...ha.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:35 pm
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Hey D,
I'm only going to address a couple of these...picked up a bottle of Malibu Black tonight and it's doing it's job nicely :-)

Dolores wrote:
While i had all the strings off the first time, my rag was black from wiping the fret board.


Yea...don't sweat that...not really a biggie even with a Squier Affinity. Just means someone hadn't cleaned it in a while. Most used guitars I've ever bought tend to come up a bit gookey upon the first cleaning. That said, I actually did have a very cheap Kay electric once...quite literally a pickup and bridge on a cheap slab of wood (I believe the politically correct term is "canoe paddle", LOL). First time I went to clean the neck, turned out the "ebony" fretboard wasn't ebony at all...it was stain! LOL!!! Now -that- was a dirty rag...





Quote:
i had never seen a guitar string break while watching a band concert or video of bands playing.


Ok...this one was really the reason I wanted to post a reply tonight. Check out Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble, Live at the el Macombo...specifically his cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Third Stone From the Sun"...yea...he just beats the h_ll outta ol' #1 there, but yes...he actually broke a couple of strings on that one.

Also check out Heart's The Road Home...Barracuda. Nancy Wilson breaks a string on her acoustic on that one!

I also seem to remember seeing Pete Townsend breaking one or two doing his famous "windmills" with The Who and I even seem to remember Keith Richards of The Stones breaking one...but I can't remember which concerts or tunes in either case at the immediate moment (good stuff that Malibu!).

Also, while I don't remember seeing any drummers actually break a stick, in Pink Floyd's Live From Pompeii, Nick Mason does toss one about 2/3rds thru "One Of These Days"...never misses a beat though.

So yea...it does happen, even to the pro's! Although sometimes, such as with Stevie, they -really- have to work for it! LOL!

Peace,
Jim


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Strings
Posted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 7:26 am
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i figured throught the years they would of developed better strings.
i see they are cheap to buy, and that makes me wonder how well they are made. of course i may have issues w/ my guitar brakin strings, which i hope to be fixin soon...
of course, i am learning from the beggining w/ lessons and i get crazy sometimes.
i need to learn to pick the strings a little better, as i get all over the place sometimes.
interesting on the bands players you mentioned.
I will look them up.

maybe ide play better after more Sobieski's Vodka..?

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